Update: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in His Own Words

Update:
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in His Own Words 

 

On nuclear development and sanctions:

• On September 18, 2008, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Iran would not halt sensitive nuclear work. Ahmadinejad made clear Iran, the world’s fourth-largest oil exporter, had no plans to back down in the dispute: „Whatever they do, Iran will continue its activities. Sanctions are not important,“ he said. „The era of (uranium enrichment) suspension has ended.“[1]

• On April 9, 2008, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned the West to expect a „bloody nose“ over mounting pressure on Iran to halt its sensitive uranium enrichment activities, state television reported. In a televised address from the northeastern city of Mashhad, Ahmadinejad insisted that Iran would never abandon its atomic work. „The Iranian nation will bloody the enemy’s (the West’s) nose if they want to violate an iota of our rights (to nuclear technology)“, he said. [2]

• We are standing firm and the West’s misbehavior towards Iran, will encourage the nation to capture higher summits“, the president said to chants of „Death to America“ by the crowd. „The nation will slap you in the mouth.“ [3]

• „The Iranian nation will have the final victory in the nuclear arena. No power will be able to obstruct the movement of the Iranian nation“, Ahmadinejad told a military gathering in Tehran on February 29, 2008. „The Iranian nation has overcome the superpowers and is standing on the victor’s podium. All powers are beneath the Iranian nation’s feet“, he said. „Let the world know that the Iranian nation will build up Iran despite all the difficulties. [4]

• On October 5, 2007, Ahmadinejad vowed that Iran will not negotiate over its „nuclear rights“. The comments came as French diplomatic officials said Iran is set to run almost 3,000 centrifuges by the end of the month, nearing the threshold for industrial-scale uranium enrichment. [5]

• Ahmadinejad considers the dispute over his country’s nuclear program „closed“ and says Iran will disregard the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which he said is dominated by „arrogant powers“. [6]

• Ahmadinejad describes sanctions „as nothing more than a pile of papers“. [7]

• „The Iranian nation has entered the phase of industrial scale of nuclear fuel (production) and the train of the Iranian nation’s progress is irreversible“, Ahmadinejad told a rally in South Khorasan province, broadcast live on state television. „Today, we’ve reached 3,000 centrifuges“, he said. [8]

• Iranians will slap in the face of those who threaten them and address them in the language of anger and threat“, Ahmadinejad warned. [9]

On Jihad:

• „Suicide bombers in this land showed us the way, and they enlighten our future“, Ahmadinejad said. He added that the will to commit suicide was „one of the best ways of life“. [10]

On Israel:

•  Ahmadinejad said the Jewish state would not survive in any form: „I have heard some say the idea of Greater Israel has expired,“ Ahmadinejad said. „I say that the idea of lesser Israel has expired, too.“ The Iranian president repeated his previous anti-Israel comments, calling the Holocaust by Nazi Germany during World War II a „fake“(…) [11]

• Ahmadinejad says Palestinian resistance has „shaken“ Israel and that Palestinian victory is „God’s promise.“ According to state TV, Ahmadinejad told Hamas‘ Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, in a phone conversation Friday that Iran will stand beside the Palestinian people „until final victory“ against Israel. [12]

• „The Palestinian nation is engaged in a chest to chest encounter with most cruel individuals on this earth and the grass root resistance of the Palestinian nation is now jolting the foundations of the Zionist enemy,“ Ahmadinejad said according to IRNA Political Desk. [13]

• Ahmadinejad calls Israel a „germ of corruption“ that will be „removed soon.“[14]

• Ahmadinejad described Israel as a „disgraceful blot“ that should be „wiped off the face of the earth“ in an address to 4000 students at a program titled: „The World without Zionism“. [15]

• „As the Imam said, Israel must be wiped off the map“.  [16]

• In an interview with Iranian state television’s Arabic-language satellite channel, Al-Alam, on December 8, 2006, Ahmadinejad referred to Israel as a „tumour“, and suggested that it should be relocated to Europe. [17]

On Europe:

• On November 1, 2007, Ahmadinejad warned European countries not to follow the US lead in imposing unilateral sanctions against his country, state radio reported. Ahmadinejad threatened unspecified retaliation by Iran if Europe followed in the footsteps of the United States, which last week announced sanctions against the Islamic state. [18]

On America:

• Iran’s president on Tuesday blamed the U.S. and other „big powers“ for global ills such as nuclear proliferation and AIDS, and accused them of exploiting the U.N. for their own gain and the developing world’s loss. [19]

• „The rights and dignity of the American people are also being sacrificed for the selfish desires of those holding power“, Ahmadinejad said during his speech at the UN on September 26, 2007. [20]

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References:
[1] Hafezi, Parisa: „Iran vows no nuclear retreat despite sanctions threat,“ Reuters, September 18, 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSDAH72628420080918
[3] Hafezi, Parisa: „Iran warns west of ´bloody nose´over nuclear issue“, Reuters, April 9, 2008, http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSHAF95777720080409?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&rpc=22&sp=true 
[3] Ibid.
[4] „Iran: World powers will not prevent us from pursuing our nuclear ambitions“, Daily Mail, February 29, 2008, http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=522872&in_page_id=1811 
[5] „Ahmadinejad says Iran won´t negotiate over ist ’nuclear rights'“, Associated Press, October 6, 2007, http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/06/africa/ME-GEN-Iran-Nuclear.php 
[6] Hoge, Warren: „Ahmadinejad declares nuclear dispute ‚clsoed'“, International Herald Tribune, September 26, 2007, http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/09/26/africa/iran.php
[7] Cohen, Dudi: „Ahmadinejad: UN decision is nothing but a pile of papers“, YnetNews, October 24, 2007, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3463633,00.html
[8] Derakhshi, Reza: „Iran´s nuclear program ‚irreversible‘: president“, Reuters, November 7, 2007, http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSDAH73388120071107
[9] „President: Iranians will not back down from legitimate right“, IRNA, June 13, 2007, http://www.president.ir/en/
[10] Cohen, Dudi, „Iranian President lauds suicide bombers invincible“, YnetNews, April 1, 2007, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3383620,00.html
[11] Nasser, Karimi: „Ahmadinejad says Israel won’t survive,“ The Independant, September 18, 2008, http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/saturday-magazine/features/ahmadinejad-says-israel-wont-survive-935088.html 
[12] „Palestinian victory against Israel is God’s promise,“ Daily Times, September 14, 2008, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008�9 story_14-9-2008_pg4_13
[13] „Palestinians‘ resistance jolting Zionist enemy,“ Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, September 12, 2008, http://www.president.ir/en/?ArtID=12006
[14] „Ahmadinejad says Israel will be removed soon,“ Associated Press, August 20, 2008, http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/20/africa/ME-Iran-Israel.php 
[15] „MacAskill, Ewen; McGreal, Chris: „Israel should be wiped off map, says Iran´s president“, The Guardian, October 27, 2005, http://www.guardian.co.uk/iran/story/0,12858,1601413,00.html 
[16] „Iranian Ahmadinejad’s statements on Israel,“ Agence France Presse, May 12, 2006, http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=31656 
[17] „President: Iranians will not back down from legitimate right“, IRNA, June 13, 2007, http://www.president.ir/en/ 
[18] „Iranian president warns Europe not to follow US sanctions“, Associated Press, November 1, 2007, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3466582,00.html 
[19] Jahn, George: „Iranian president: ‚Big powers‘ going down“, The Guardian, July 29, 2008, http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-7686163,00.html 
[20] „Iran: US is World´s Real Threat“, Al Jazeera, September 26,2007, http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/FB085194-ABDC-4D1C-82C4-8F24FAAFA8CC.htm